Box making



oedrcn NOOIT Ptlq-so77 Jail 16; l940 c. D. KNowLToN 2,186,977

' Box MAKING Filed July 13, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 WNY du: EHILH xnluaul JUL 16, 1940- c. D. KNowLToN 2,186,977

Box MAKING Filed Juli; 13, 19:57 e sheets-'sheet 2 Jan. 16, 1940. c. D. KNowLToN 2,186,977

' Box MAKING Filed July 13, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 NVE/WDR.' @ma n. KM 5,5 M

5L M f Jari. 16, 1940.

C. D. KNOWLTON BOX MAKING Filed July 13, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 wf):- Ml

Jan. 16, 1940.

C. D. KNOWLTON BOX MAKING Filed July 13, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Jan. 1s, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOX MAKING Application July 13, 1937, Serial No. 153,400

Claims.

This invention relates to machines for, and methods of making boxes. It is herein exemplified with particular reference to the use of a machine in which the operator presents rst one end and then the other of a box-blank to a plurality of instrumentalities which cooperate in forming the ends of the box.

Box-making machines of the prior art have either been entirely automatic machines, in which the blanks have been carried mechanically through the machine and a series of operations performed Wlthout the intervention of the operator, or have comprised a series of separate machines to which the operator has presented portions of a blank for treatment and, nally, for the formation of the ends of the box. One arrangement of the latter class comprises an end-Wing-gluing machine with which is associated a box-ending machine. Said ending machine may be a press causing the rm engagement of the Various parts of the end of the box after these parts have been brought into position manually and after the machine has been set in motion bythe operator, as by the depression of a treadle. While such machines are relatively simple and inexpensive and, hence, suitable for installation in places Where the quantities desired do not Warrant the utilization of an automatic machine of considerable cost, they still are necessarily slow and require a considerable amount of skill on the part of the operator if spoilage is to be prevented.

Consequently, an important object of the invention is the provision of a semi-automatic boxending machine, low in cost as compared with automatic apparatus, to which an operator may readily present the end-portion of a box-blank for treatment by successive mechanisms, rapidly and by a substantially continuous single movement.

With this in view, the machine of this invention has, in accordance with one of its principal features, means, extending along the front of the machine and in unobstructed relation thereto, for guiding the box-blank as it is presented by the operator to associated operating instrumentalities which bend, glue, fold and form the end of the box. It will be understood that, in so doing, the operator will rst bend the side-wings into substantially normal relation to the bottom of the box. She will then press the ends of these side-wings against a guide-wall, while resting their longitudinal upper edges on an extended table associated with and forming part of the guide. The term box will be used herein in its generic sense, as applicable to either the body of the box or to the cover thereof, and the illustrated machine is adapted for use with boxes of various sizes, or with covers, merely by vertical adjustment of the table.

In accordance with still another feature of the invention, the machine includes pressing mechanism which is power operated and which, as illustrated, is set in movement by means governed by the advancing Work, as by contact of the box with a trigger controlling a clutch in said mechanism. This pressing mechanism is positioned at one end of the guide or table so that an operator starting a box-blank at the other end of the table will turn in the cornerlaps, glue the end-wing and its extension, bend the end-Wing-extension, fold the end-wing into contact with the corner-laps and then, as the box reaches a position in exact alinement with the end-pressing mechanism, will bring the box into engagement with the trigger which starts this mechanism in operation. As shown, a slide rises from below into the interior of the box, turning in the end-Wing-extension as it proceeds and serving as an abutment to cooperate with a pressure-applying member acting upon the outside of the end of the box.

Other features of the invention involving the machine relate to a concave portion or recess of the guide-wall by which folding of the cornerlaps is effected as the operator moves the blank into this recess; to the relation of the gluing mechanism to the guide-wall; and to a mechanisrn comprising, as illustrated, coacting overlapping disks for bending the end-Wing-extension out of the plane of the end-Wing, and which are adjustable to make them effective for boxes of various sizes and to bring them into the best operating position with respect thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of forming the end of a box when the blank is held in the hands of an operator and presented by her to successive treating mechanisms.

In one aspect, the method of my invention is characterized by the bending of the side-Walls as the blank is grasped by the operator to bring them into substantial parallelism and then, While the side-Walls are held by the operator in this position, carrying the blank through box-malnng means, such as gluing. folding and pressure mechanisms. One of the steps of the method comprises using a portion of the side-Walls of the bent blank for guiding the blank for lateral movement through various mechanisms to form the end of the box. As illustratively described, the end of a side-wing and, hence, the corner formed between a corner-lap and a side-wing is utilized for guiding the blank. A further step involves control of the application of power to a portion ofthe box-making means by force applied by the operator to the work.

The various features of the invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a detail, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of the bending device for the end-wing-extension;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation from the left, with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse, vertical section through the gluing mechanism, taken on the line V--V in Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is an angular view, partly in section, of the connections between the trigger and the clutch and including a latch;

Fig. 7 is an angular View of the upper end of this latch and the adjacent parts;

Fig. 8 is an angular view of a box-blank held in the hands of an operator after she has bent down the side-wings and being pushed against the corner-lap-folder;

Fig. 9, a detail in side elevation, with a portion of the blank in section, illustrating the bending of the end-wing-extension out of the plane of the end-wing by the bending disks;

Fig, 10, a detail in broken front elevation, showing the box-blank being moved into contact with the trigger;

Fig. 11, a detail in broken end elevation, with the sliding abutment ready to rise and turn in the end-wing-extension, and

Fig. 12, a similar View in which pressure is being applied to the end of the box as it is positioned by said abutment.

The illustrated machine is of the semi-automatic type, by which first one end of a boxpart and then the other may be formed. It is particularly adapted for operation on a blank of the kind shown in Latters Patent of the United States No. 1,811,135, granted June 23, 1931, on an application of Cutler D. Knowlton, said blank comprising, as shown herein in Fig. 8, a bodyportion I0 and various projections, such as opposite side-wings l2, corner-laps I4 and end-Wings I6 having end-Wing-extensions I8.

In using the machine, the operator grasps a blank with the hands and, bending the sidewings substantially into parallelism at rightangles to the body-portion I8, presents the blank, in inverted position to a substantially vertical side-wall G with the end-wing and its extension projecting over the Wall. The wall G is at the front of the machine, convenient for access by the operator, and has associated with it a horizontal table T on which the edges of the sidewings l2 rest. Themachine is so arranged that the operator, forcing the blank into the corner between the guide-wall and table, may present said blank successively to the box-making instrumentalities which are arranged to perform cumulative operations on the blank to complete an end of the box. These instrumentalities comprise a corner-lap-folder A provided by a concave portion of the wall G, a gluing mechanism B, a bender C for the end-wing-extension, a folder or scroll D for holding the end-wing to a vertical position, a sliding abutment E for folding the end-wing-extension around the edges of the corner-laps and into contact with the inner surfaces thereof to a position indicated in Fig. 12, whereupon said abutment cooperates with a pressure-applying mechanism F for compressing the parts to complete the end-formation. The direction of presentation of the partially folded blank to the wall-portion A, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 8, is such that the cornerlaps are turned inwardly toward each other by the contact of their ends with the opposite sides of the concave surface, so that at the time the ends of the side-wings. or the junctures between these Wings and the corner-laps, in travel to the left, Contact with the guide-wall G, these corner-laps are in alinement with each other. This guide-wall G is supported by brackets 28, which are attached to arms 22 held by clampbolts 24 on the upper ends of posts 26 secured to the base 28 of the frame of the machine. The frame is provided with legs 38 and has subframes 32 and 34 mounted on the base 28. Just above the base-plate 28 and extending the whole length of the machine is a drive-shaft 36, which receives power through a gear 38 and a pinion 40 from an electric motor 42, indicated by dotand-dash lines in Fig. 4.

The gluing mechanism B (Fig. 5) includes an applying roll 44 mounted on a shaft supported in bearings 46 and 48 provided in the subframe 32. The roll 44 receives power from a countersh'aft 50 by way of miter-gears 52 (Fig. 3), this countershaft being driven from the drive-shaft 36 by a belt 54 connecting stepped pulleys. Associated with the gluing roll 44 is a pick-up roll 56, partially immersed in glue in a receptacle 58 which is kept at the desired temperature by means of electric-cartridge heating units 60. The receptacle may be raised and lowered for cleaning and to this end is carried in a tray 62 supported at the upper end of a screw 64, the heightwise position of which is determined by a hand-wheel 66 resting on a base-plate 28. Above the glueapplying roll 44 is a presser-roll 68 for holding an end-wing against the upper side of the applying roll. This presser-roll 68 is mounted on a shaft 69 carried in vertically yieldable bearings 10, 12, held down to a level determined by stopscrews 'I4 by springs 18. The presser-roll 68 will be separated from the applying roll 44 so that the glue will not be transferred to it, while, at the same time, the end-wing I6 and its extension I8 will have their inner faces held i'lrmly in contact with the applying roll so that they are properly coated thereby. Damage due to excessive thickness of the work between the rolls 44 and B8 is prevented by the springs 18. For a similar reason and in order to control the quantity of glue delivered to the applying roll, the pick-up roll 56 is carried in slidable bearings 80 which are urged upwardly by springs 82 to a limit determined by stop-screws 84 contacting with the lower sides of the bearings 46 and 48. It is desirable that the pick-up and applying rolls should be separated when the machine is not in use, and to this end the springs 82 abut plugs 86 which rest against a rod journaled in the subframe 32, this rod being provided with a handle 82. The rod has flattened portions 88, which, when turned into alinement with the plugs 86. allow the pick-up-roll 56 to drop. This also affords an easy method of separating the rolls 44 and 56 for cleaning.

The rolls of the gluing mechanism are rotated in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, the shaft carrying the applying roll 44 having a gear meshing directly with a gear |02 on the shaft 69 of the presser-roll 68. The length of the teeth of these gears will be sufficient to care for the adjustment provided by the screws 14. The shaft of the applying roll 44 has a gear |04 meshing with a gear |06 on the shaft of the pick-up roll 56, whereby the latter is rotated in an opposite direction to maintain a uniform film of glue on the applying roll. It will be noted that a horizontal plane through the upper edge of the guide-wall G coincides substantially with the line of closest approach of the presser-roll 68 and the applying roll 44. As a result, an endwing I6 gripped between these rolls extends substantially horizontally over the upper edge of the guide-wall, said rolls assisting in the feeding movement of the blank along the guide-wall. Entrance of the end-wing into the space between said rolls is facilitated by inclined guide members |08 (Fig. l).

Because the machine may be utilized for boxes of various depths and for forming the ends of covers, the table T is vertically adjustable. It is shown as attached to sockets |09 mounted at the upper ends of rods ||0, which are guided in the arms 22 supporting the guide-wall and have threaded engagement at their lower ends with sleeves journalled in the base 28 of the frame and one of which carries a hand-wheel ||2. Since it is desired that the table T should be maintained in a horizontal position, these sleeves are provided with a chain-and-sprocketconnection ||4 so that the turning of the handwheel rotates both sleeves, and the two ends of the table are simultaneously adjusted equally. A reinforcing strip ||6 is secured to the lower face of the table along the front edge thereof.

As the box-blank emerges from the gluing mechanism B, it is presented for the action of the bender C by which, in the manner shown in Fig. 9, the end-wing-extension I8 is bent out oi.' the plane of the end-wing I6. With most blanks, the advancing edge of the work enters the bender while the feeding force of the gluing rolls is still effective. This bender comprises a supporting disk and a bending disk |22 which are arranged in overlapping relation, being driven in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. l, thereby assisting in the feed cf the box-blank. The peripheries of these rolls are beveled toward the front of the machine. as indicated at |24 (Fig. 2), thereby easing the engagement of the roll |22 with the extension |8 (Fig. 9) and lessening the area of contact with the glue-coated surface of the box-blank. The entrance of a blank between these rolls is aided by their staggered relation, which may be seen from Fig. l and which is such that the axis of the bending roll |22 is beyond a vertical plane through the axis of the supporting roll |20. A blank will thus be supported on the lower roll |20 before the bending roll |22 begins to deflect the end-Wing-extension I8.

Since the machine, when utilized for boxes of different depths and particularly when adjusted for the treatment of covers, requires a different relation of the bender C to the guide-wall G, the bending rolls have a novel mounting, illustrated in detail in Fig. 2. This is shown as a carrier which comprises a box or casing |26 supported on a cylindrical sleeve |28 clamped on the subframe 32 by a pinch-bolt |30, thereby allowing the carrier-sleeve |28 to be adjusted both angularly and axially. The supporting disk |20 is mounted on a shaft |32, which passes through and is journaled in the sleeve and also in the hub |34 of a pinion |36. This hub is journaled in a bracket |38 attached to the side of the subframe 32 in such a relation to the gluing mechanism that the pinion |36 meshes with a gear |40 which is attached to the shaft 69 of the presser-roll 68. The shaft |32 is splined at |42 to the pinion, a shoulder on the hub of which contacts with the brackets |38 and is held endwise against it by a collar |44 fast upon the shaft.

The carrier-box |26 has a removable cover and within it are gears |46 and |48 attached, respectively, to the shaft |32 and to a shaft |50 of the bending roll |22 by set screws, said gears |46 and |48 having hubs which prevent their axial movement within the box. It is possible to adjust the separation of the planes of operation of the supporting roll |20 and the bending roll |22 after loosening the set-screws in the hubs of the gears |46 and |48. Adjustment of the whole assembly axially to make the device correspond to the height of the end-wing is effected by loosening the clamp-screw |30 and moving the whole carrier with its sleeve |28' endwise. The angular relation of the carrier-box about the axis of the sleeve |28 may be varied by rotating said sleeve in its clamp to bring the roll |22 to the desired angular position. This provides for the presentation of the blanks in the best relation to the bite of the rolls.

After treatment thus by the corner-lap-folder A, the gluer B and the extension-bender C, the box-blank is moved still further to the left, being pressed rearwardly into firm contact with the guide-wall G and rested on the table T. The blank is next subjected to the action of a folding mechanism, such as the scroll D, having a curved surface |60 (Figs. l and 3) which deflects the end-wing from its horizontal position to a substantially vertical position so that it approaches and contacts with the outside of the alined comer-laps I4. This scroll is adjustably mounted, by a bolt-and-slot-connection |62, on the subframe 34. It may thereby be located across the frame in the correct relation to the pressure mechanism F. A finger |64 (Fig. 1), the under edge of which is inclined upwardly to facilitate the admission of the end-wing supported on the upper edge of the guide G, extends rearwardly from the scroll along the path of the work and serves to retain it from rising above the proper level in entering said scroll. Projecting from the scroll, in the direction of travel of the blank, is a vertical wall |65 (Figs. 1 and 3) which holds the end-wing in contact with the corner-laps until it cornes under the influence of the pressure mechanism.

After the turning down of the end-wing, progressive movement of the partially folded blank to the left in the hands of the operator brings it into a position (Fig. 10) in front of the pressureapplying mechanism F and directly above the abutment-slide E (Fig. 1l), this position being determined by contact of a corner |66 of the box with a stop |68. This is supported, as will be later described, in such an inclined position that it will contact only with the firm, not easily distorted portion of the box and will thus accurately center said box to receive the action of the mechanism which folds in the end-wing-extension and applies pressure to the entire end-formation. Slightly beyond the plane in which lies the point of engagement of the box-corner with stop |68 and below said stop is a vertical gagesurface |69 (Fig. l). This, receiving contact of the juncture between the sidewing and cornerlap, limits to a very small amount the departure of the partially folded blank from the correct form if the operator allows the side-wing to become displaced outwardly as it arrives at the pressure-applying position.

The movement of the abutment-slide E and pressure-applying mechanism F is effected by power delivered from the drive-shaft 36 under the control of a clutch |10 (Fig. 1). The loose half of this clutch is attached to a pinion, |12, which meshes with a gear |14 mounted on a camshaft I 16 journaled in the subframe 34. The clutch |10, details of the construction of which are not shown herein since it may be of any convenient construction, is so arranged that it imparts a single revolution to the cam-shaft |16 and then is opened. The tripping of this clutch is accomplished through mechanism shown in Fig. 6 under lthe control of a trigger |80 in the form of a bell-crank-lever and pivotally mounted, as will be later described, with one arm directly in the path of movement of the box (Fig. 10). As the box is brought into operative position with respect to the mechanisms E and F, the other arm of this trigger |80 will bear on a forward crank-portion of a rearwardly extending rod |82 and turn said rod to trip the clutch. The first result of movement of the shaft |16 will be to cause a slide |92 of the abutment E to be raised from the position shown in Fig. 11 to the position shown in Fig. l2, thus turning the end-wing-extension I 8 up into contact with the inner surfaces of the corner-laps I4. A pathcam |84 (Fig. 4) on the shaft |16 imparts a swinging movement to a lever |86, the upper end of which is provided with a. cam-roll |88 (Fig. 3) coacting with the cam-track and the lower end of which is connected by a link |90, adjustable as to length, with the slide |92. This slide is supported for vertical movement in a guide formed between the subframe 34 and a casting |94 secured thereto. The upper inner face of the slide is upon a detachable face-plate |96, dimensioned to fit the blank to be treated, which plate is joined to the body of the slide by a dovetail |98 and is held in position by a spring-plunger 200. The table T is cut away at 202 to permit the slide to rise above the level of the table. This face-plate may be of hard metal and is recessed along its lower edge at 202 to receive the upturned end-wing-extension I8 when pressure is applied. It will be noted also that the slide itself has a recess 206 to avoid contact with the corner of the pressure-applying mechanism F, as will be clear from Fig. 12.

While the device E is in its uppermost position, as shown in Fig. l2, it serves as an abutment to receive pressure applied to the end of the box through the mechanism F which has a horizontally slidable U-shaped or hollow slide member 2|0. 'Ihis slide member has along its lower edges laterally extending flanges 2I2 (Fig. l) which are received beneath overhanging plates 2|4 bolted to the subframe 34. Associated with this slide 2 I0 is a block 220 closing the rear open end of the U and slidably received therein. This block is provided with a roll 222 contacting with a cam 224 on the shaft |16 and the pressure applied by the cam to the roll 222 is communicated to the slide 2|0 through a heavy preloaded spring 226 interposed between the block 220 and the forward, closed end of the slide 2|0. This spring surrounds a stud 228 projecting from the block 220 through an aperture in the forward end of the slide 2|0, where it receives a retaining nut 230. The degree of preliminary loading of the spring is regulated by a nut 232 threaded on the stud 228. Springs 234 rest against the closed ends of recesses formed in lateral projections 235 from the slide 2I0. They surround rods 236 passing through the recesses and threaded into an upright portion of the subframe 34 adjacent to the bearings of the camshaft, while the forward ends rest against nuts threaded on the rods. These springs hold the roll 222 in contact with the cam 224 and return the slide after it has compressed the end of the box. At the forward end of the slide 2|0 is provided a face-plate 240, which has a recess 238 to receive the nut 230 and the end of the stud 228 and is attached to the slide 2|0 by screws 242 held against loosening by set-screws 244. 'I'his face-plate is of hard metal and is provided along its lower edge with a strip 246 supporting the inturned extension of the end-wing. 'Ihe partially bent-ln extension is thus prevented from straightening, so that the slide |92, |96 will surely turn it up and not distort or crush the end of the box heightwise thereof. This strip 246 is beveled, as indicated at 248 in Fig. 10, to avoid any interference with the oncoming edge of the end-wing-extension as the box is moved laterally into pressure-receiving position. The cam 224 is so designed that during each cycle, it will separate the nut 230 (Fig. 3) from the slide 2|0, thereby insuring that at least a pressure predetermined by the resistance of the spring 226 has been applied to the box, the yield of the spring ensuring that this pressure shall not be excessive. During the positioning of the box for this action of the pressure-applying mechanism, said box is guided to the proper level, which is also normally determined by the table T, by reason of the fact that the forward end of a cover 250 overhangs the end of the box just above the trigger |80. 'I'his cover is hinged upon the frame at 25| adjacent to the inner extremity of the slide 2|0 (Fig. 4). The capacity of the cover to yield prevents jamming of the blank if it lifts and, further, protects the hands of the operator from injury and gives ready access to the parts beneath it. After the application of pressure by the cam |84, the springs 234 retract the slide 2|0, and the slide |92 is again lowered, thereby leaving the box free for removal from the machine.

Preferably, the clutch and the connections between it and the trigger |80 will be of such a character that said clutch may be tripped with only a light pressure on the trigger and be opened at the close of the cycle of operation of the boxending mechanism with surety and without substantial overthrow. To this end, the machine is provided, as shown in Fig. 6, with a clutchtripping latch 260 which occupies a substantially vertical position adjacent to the inner side of the gear |14. When this latch drops by the action of gravity and with the assistance of a spring 262 attached to the frame, its lower end will trip the clutch, as by actuating a pawl (not shown) therein. The latch 260 is guided in a slot 264 formed in a bracket 266 upon the frame. Toward the end of the cycle, to allow the clutch to open, this latch is raised by the engagement of the upper edge of a cam-plate 210 beneath a hook 212 at the upper end of the latch. This camplate is attached to, the narrow portion being integral with, the lower of two semi-circular disks 214 and 216. These are made as separate parts merely for ease in manufacture and positioned on the gear |14 between a rabbet 218 and the hub 280. They are provided with an annular T- shaped slot in which are the heads of bolts 282 clamping the disk-portions to the gear in the desired position circumferentially thereof. The machine comes to rest with the hook 212 hanging on a mid-portion of the cam-edge of the plate 210 at a point such as that indicated at 284, where the curvature is substantially concentric with the axis of the shaft |16.

Turning now to the box-operated part of this mechanism, we see from Fig. 6 that the trigger |80 is pivoted within a housing 290 attached to the under side of a transverse plate 292. To adjust the trigger, and also the stops |68 and |69, as for boxes of different Widths. the plate is variable in position in the direction of movement of the approaching box by a slot-and-screwconnection 294. This adjustment enables the box-end to be centered in the pressure mechanism. Further, if, through inadvertence, the operator has not positioned the box in correct relation to the face-plate 240 of the pressureapplying slide, the lifting of said box by the slide |92 will cause no harm except to tilt the cover upwardly, carrying with it the trigger-housing 280 and the box-stops |68 and |69 attached thereto. 'Ihere is no danger of damaging the box by contact with the trigger because of the inclined position of the box-contacting end thereof. It has already been pointed out that the movement of the trigger |80 by the approaching box is communicated to the clutch through a crank-rod |82 and this crank-rod is pivotally mounted in bearings 296 in a bracket iixed to the subframe 34. On the inner end of the crank-rod |82 is mounted a substantially L-shaped lever 300, held by a clamp 302. The under side of this lever has a groove to receive a tongue 304 mounted to tilt on a pin 306. Owing to the angle of the crank-rod |82 with respect to the side-face of the cam 210, the tongue 304 will be given a twisting movement which will have a component substantially parallel to the axis of the shaft |16 and it is this component of the movement which is utilized to push the hook 212 of the latch 260 oi the ledge of the cam-plate 210. The movement of the tongue 304 is communicated to the latch 260 by reason of the fact that its end enters a slot 308 at the upper end of said latch. The twisting movement of the lever 300 is limited by the coaction of a depending finger 3|0 on said lever with the sides of a groove 3|2 in the latchbracket 266. At the end of the cycle of the camshaft |16, the crank-rod |82 and the lever 300 attached thereto are returned to their starting position with the assistance of a spring 3|4 secured to the crank-end of the rod |82. When the latch 260 is raised by the cam-plate 210 after the tripping of the clutch, the actuating tongue 304 may be struck by the horizontal end-surface of the latch instead of being received by the slot 308. In such case. upward yield of the tongue upon its pivot will prevent injury to the parts. When the crank-rod |82 assumes its normal position, the tongue will be shifted laterally to enter the slot.

In using the machine, the operator will rst grasp the box-blank and. bending the side-wings into substantial parallelism and holding the partially formed box in inverted position, will carry the blank toward the guide-wall G (Fig. 8) to cause the corner-laps to be folded in by the curved portion A, with the end-wing projecting over the top of the wall. The blank will then be moved to the left, supporting it on the table and guiding it by the engagement of the corners formed between the corner-lap and the end of the side-wing as the blank is pressed against the wall. In its advance, the blank will be treated by the gluing mechanism B to coat the inner face of the end-wing I6 and its extension I8, the bender C to initiate the infolding of said extension and the folder or scroll D which turns the end-wing substantially at right-angles to the body-portion I0. 'I'he continuance of this movement results in bringing the downturned endwing into position in front of the pressure-applying mechanism F, whereupon the box will be positioned by engagement with the stops |68 and |69, While the side of said box will engage the trigger |80. The latter trips the clutch |12 and causes the elevation of the abutment-slide E to complete the folding of the end-wing-extension. The succeeding movement of the pressure slide 2|0 will force the end of the box against the abutment E to compress and set the end-formation. The operator then reverses the blank and similarly sets up the opposite end of the box.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-wings and corner-laps, a concave curvedmall arranged to receive the cotac of the free ends of opposite corner-laps of a blank the side-wings of which have been brought into substantially parallel relation, such Contact folding said corner-laps toward alinement with each other.

2. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-wings and corner-laps, a table on which the edges of the side-wings of a blank may be rested after said side-wings have been brought into substantially parallel positions, and a wall close to the rear of said table having a concave recess into which the corner-laps may be pressed to cause them to bend toward each other into substantial alinement.

3. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-wings, corner-laps and end-wings, and an upright wall across the edge of which the end-wing of a box-blank may be positioned, said wall containing a concave portion into which the corner-laps maybepessed to bring them substantially into alinement and an adjoining straight portion against which said laps may be pressed to complete the alinement, the upper edge of the wall being arranged to support the end-wing as the blank is advanced along the curved and straight portions of said wall.

4. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-wings, end-wings and corner-laps, a rest, and a wall extending from said rest, said wall being provided with ay concayportion and an adjoining straight portion to the end that a box-blank the side-wings of which have been brought toward each other may be pressed toward the concave portion thereby to fold the corner-laps toward each other and then carried along to a straight portion against which the corner-laps are pressed to bring them into alinement, the edges of said side-wings bearing on said rest.

5. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having sideand end-wings, a rest, a wall extending along said rest, and box-making instrumentalities positioned in predetermined relation to said wall and said rest thereby to perform successive operations on a box-blank upon advance of the latter with its bottom at the level of an edge of the wall and its sidewings brought to positions substantially parallel with one another and supported upon the rest.

6. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having sideand end-wings, a rest, a wall extending along said rest and provided with a concave portion near one end of the Wall, and box-folding and forming instrumentalities positioned in predetermined relation to said wall and said rest thereby to perform successive folding and forming operations on a box-blank upon advance of the latter with its bottom at the level of an edge of the Wall and its side-Wings brought to positions substantially parallel with one another and supported upon the rest.

7. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings and end-Wings, a blank-guiding device comprising a Wall against which the ends of the side-Wings may be pressed with an end-Wing extending over the Wall, and a driven blank-treating mechanism acting upon the end-wing beyond the wall, said mechanism being adapted to carry the blank along the Wall by its engagement with the end-Wing.

8. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings and end-wings, a blank-guiding devicel comprising a wall against which the ends of the side-Wings may be pressed with the end-Wing projecting across the Wall, and successive treating mechanisms comprising a driven gluing mechanism arranged to coat the lower side of the projecting end-Wing and to carry the blank along the wall to an adjacent mechanism.

9. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings, end-wings and end-wing-extensions, a wall against which the ends of the side-Wings which have been brought into substantially parallel relation may be pressed as a blank is moved along the Wall with the end- Wing overlapping it, a gluing mechanism in predetermined relation to said Wall to apply a coating to the end-Wing and its extension, and an adjacent bending mechanism for operating on the end-wing-extension to bend it out of the plane of the end-Wing as the blank is carried along the Wall.

lO. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-wings, end-wings and end-wing-extensions, a wall against which the ends of the side-Wings which have been brought into substantially parallel relation may be pressed as a blank is moved along the wall with theendwing overlapping it, a gluing mechanism in predetermined relation to said Wall to apply a coating to the end-Wing and its extension, and an adjacent bending mechanism for operating on the end-Wing-extension to bend it out of the plane of the end-wing as the blank is carried along the wall, said gluing mechanism being effective to enter the blank into the bending mechanism.

l1. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings, end-Wings and end-Wing-extensions, a Wall against which the ends of the side-Wings may be pressed as a blank is moved along the Wall with the end-Wing overlapping it, and coacting rolls for operating on the end-wing-extension to bend it out of the plane of the end-wing as the blank is carried along the wall.

12. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings, end-Wings and end-wing-extensions, a Wall against which the ends of the side-Wings may be pressed as a blank is moved along the Wall with the end-Wing projecting across it, and coacting overlapping disks one of which supports the end-wing and the other of which engages the end-wing-extension to bend the latter out of the plane of the end-wing as the blank is carried along the wall.

13. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having side-Wings, end-Wings and end-wing-extensions, a Wall against which the ends of the side-Wings may be pressed as a blank is moved along the Wall with the end-Wing projecting across it, and coacting overlapping disks one of which supports the end-wing and the other of which engages the end-Wing-extension to bend the latter out of the plane of the end-wing as the blank is carried along the Wall, said disks being mounted for adjustment to change the relation of their planes of operation.

14. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-Wings and end-wing-extensions, driven coacting overlapping disks for bending an extension out of the plane of an endwing, and a carrier for said disks, said carrier being mounted for adjustment axially of the disks and angularly of the disks.

15. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings and end-wingextensions, coacting overlapping disks for bending the extension out of the plane of the endwing, and a carrier for said disks, said carrier being mounted for adjustment about the axis of one of the disks.

16. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings and end-Wingextensions, guiding means to determine the path of movement of a blank being formed by said machine, coacting disks for bend an end-wingextension out of the plane of an end-Wing as a blank is carried along the guide, a carrier for the bending disk comprising a sleeve rotatable about the axis of the supporting disk, and means for clamping said carrier in various positions.

17. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings and end-wingextensions, a guide to determine the path of movement of a blank being formed by said machine, coacting disks for bending the end-Wingextension out of the plane of the end-Wing as the blank is carried along the guide, a carrier for the bending disk comprising a sleeve rotatable about the axis of the supporting disk, gears within the carrier interconnecting said disks, and means for clamping said carrier-sleeve in various positions.

18. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings and end-Wingextensions, a guide for determining the path of movement of a blank having an end-Wing overlapping the guide, coacting overlapping disks for bending the end-wing-extension and comprising a disk for supporting the end-Wing and another disk for bending the extension, and means for supporting said disks with the axis of the bending disk out of a vertical plane through the axis of the supporting disk.

19. In a box-making machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings and end-Wingextensions, a guide for determining the path of movement of a. blank having an end-wing overlapping the guide, coacting overlapping disks for bending the end-wing-extension and comprising a disk for supporting the end-wing and another disk for bending the extension, and a carrier for said disks positioned with the axis of the bending disk beyond the axis of the supporting disk.

20. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine, a Work-supporting table positioned along the front of the machine. a guide-wall positioned adjacent to the back edge of said table, and gluing, folding and pressing instrumentalities having a predetermined relation to said Wall whereby an operator, grasping and bending the side-wings of a box-blank, may present the end-wing of the blank for the action of said instrumentalities as he carries the blank along the Wall and table.

21. In a machine for folding box-blanks having a body-portion and projections extending therefrom, a guide-wall along which an operator may move a blank, and mechanisms situated along the guide-wall and constructed and arranged to operate upon the projections of the bank thereby progressively to form the end of the box as said blank is advanced by the operator under the guidance of the Wall.

22. In a machine for folding box-blanks having a body-portion and projections extending therefrom, a wall along which the operator may move a blank, said wall having a portion engaged by the blank presented to it by the operator and acting to fold certain of the projections and a guide-portion extending from the folding portion, and mechanisms situated along the guide-por-tion of the wall and operating successively upon projections of the blank as said blank is advanced by the operator under the guidance of the wall.

23. In a. machine for folding box-blanks having a body-portion and projections therefrom, an elongated guide-table adjacent to the rear of which is an upstandng guide-Wall and along which an operator may move a blank, and boxmaking mechanisms along the rear of said wall, the face of said wall cooperating with some of said projections to form a portion of the box and the edge of said wall supporting another of the projections extending over it and guiding such projections to the mechanisms which are arranged tooperate successively thereon.

24. In a machine for folding box-blanks having a body-portion and projections therefrom, a wall along which an operatorlnay move the blank, means adjacent to one erid of the wall for folding certain of said projections as the blank is brought against the wall, pressure mechanism adjacent to the other end of the wall and in alinement therewith, and mechanisms along the wall operating successively on a projection of the blank to fold the end of the box ready for the formation thereof by said pressure mechanism as the traversing movement of the blank is completed by the operator.

25. In a machine for folding box-blanks having a body-portion and a plurality of projections which cooperate in the completed box to form the end thereof, an elongated table, an elongated guide-wall disposed angularly with respect to the table to form a corner into which the operator may press a portion of the box as the latter is moved from one end to the other of the table, and mechanisms associated with said guide-wall for gluing, folding and pressing said projections to form the end of the box during a traversing movement of the blank.

26. In a box-making machine, guiding means along which an operator may advance a blank, box-making mechanismpast which the guiding means directs the traveling blank for an operation upon it, power-driven box-making mechanism which receives the Work at the end of the guiding means, and means controlled by contact of the advancing work to apply power to the last-mentioned means.

27. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine, a guide-table along the front of the machine, an upright guide-wall associated with said table whereby an operator may fold the side-walls of a box-blank and present the end of the partially formed box to the guide-Wall with the box resting on the table. operating instrumentalities for forming the end of the box distributed along said table whereby an operator may carry the box through said instrumentalties under the guidance of the wall and table for successive treating and forming operations, a power-operated end-pressing mechanism at one end of said table, and control means positioned for actuation by the box for setting said end-pressing mechanism into operation as the box reaches alinement with said mechanism.

28. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine, a supporting table and an adjacent guide positioned in unobstructed relation to the front of the machine so that an operator may rest a partially formed box on said table and move it along said guide, and operating instrumentalities positioned along said table for performing successive treating and box-end-forming operations as the operator carries the blank from one to the other along the table and guide, one of said operating instrumentalities being arranged to assist in feeding the work.

29. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine, a supporting table and an adjacent guide positioned in unobstructed relation to the front of the machine so that the operator may rest a partially formed. box on said table and move it manually along said guide, box-end-forming means positioned along said table for performing successive operations upon a blank advanced by the operator from one to another, and a trigger operated by the advancing box in the hands of the operator and constructed and arranged to control the movement of one of the operating means.

30. In a semi-automatic box-making machine, a guide-wall positioned in unobstructed relation to the front of the machine, said guide-wall having a concaved portion against which the corner-laps may be pressed to fold them toward each other, a straight portion of the wall serving to hold the corner-laps in alined position and to guide the box-blank by engagement with the ends of the side-Walls, a stationary scroll for engagement with an end-wing overlapping said guide-wall to bend it toward the corner-laps, a pressure member having a surface adjacent to said scroll and substantially in alinement with said guide-wall for engagement with the outside of the end-wing, a member movable to enter the partially completed box in a position slightly spaced from the pressure member, and means for producing relative movement between said movable member and said pressure member with respect to one another to exert pressure on the end of the box.

31. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings, endwing-extensions and corner-laps, a guide-wall positioned in accessible relation to the outside of the machine so that an operator may present a box-blank with its end-Wing overlapping an edge of the guide-wall and with its corner-laps held in alinement by pressure of the box against the guide-Wall, means for bending the end-wing-extension as the box-blank is carried along the guide-wall, means for folding the end-wing into contact with the corner-laps, means forming an extension of said folding means adapted thereby to hold the end-Wing in contact with the corner-laps, and a member movable into the interior of said box and adapted to contact with the bent extension to fold it against the inside of the corner-laps.

32. In a semi-automatic box-ending machine for operating upon blanks having end-wings, endwing-extensions and corner-laps, a guide-wall positioned in accessible relation to the outside of the machine so that an operator may present a box-blank with its end-wing overlapping an edge of the guide-Wall and with its corner-laps held in alinement With each other by pressure of the box against the guide-wall, means for bending the end-wing-extension as the box-blank is carried along the guide-wall, means for folding the end-Wing into contact with the cornerlaps, pressure means alined with the terminalportion of said folding means adapted thereby to hold the end-wing in Contact with the cornerlaps, a member movable into the interior of said box and adapted to contact with the bent extension to fold it against the inside of the cornerlaps, and means for moving said pressure means toward the member to exert pressure on the end of the box.

33. In a box-making machine, relatively movable parts engaging the inner and outer faces of the end of a partially formed box, power-operated mechanism for producing said relative movement, and a tri e for controlling said mechanism, said trigger being positioned for actuation by the box as it is brought into position for engagement by said relatively movable parts.

34. In a box-making machine, power-operated means for applying pressure to the end of a box and comprising a face for engagement with the outer side of the end of the box, means for locating the box in registration with said face, a slide mounted for reciprocation in a path parallel to the end of the box into the interior of the box where it will serve as an abutment for cooperation with the outside pressure-applying mechanism, and control means for the latter positioned for actuation by a box as it is brought into operating position.

35. In a box-making machine, means for applying pressure to the end of a box and having a face for engagement with the outside of the end, and a guide comprising an elongated table and an associated upright wall cooperating with the edges and ends of the side-walls of the box. said guide leading to said pressure-applying mechanism with its wall substantially in alinement with said face.

36. In a box-making machine for box-blanks having a body-portion, side-wings which have been turned into substantial parallelism and an end-wing, movable end-forming members, blankguiding means for engagement with the ends of said parallel side-wings to enable the operator to bring the blank along the guiding means into position to receive the action of said end-forming members, and a stop for engagement with a partly formed box to locate it for the action of said end-forming members.

37. In a box-making machine for box-blanks having a body-portion, side-wings which have been turned into substantial parallelism and an end-Wing, an end-forming mechanism, a blankguiding mechanism for engagement with said parallel side-wings to enable the operator to bring the blank into position for the action of said end-forming mechanism, and a locating stop adjacent to said forming mechanism comprising a plate positioned obliquely to the bodyportion of the box-blank for engagement with the corner between the body-portion and the side-wings.

38. In a box-making machine for box-blanks having end-wings and end-Wing-extensions, pressure-applying mechanism for the end of the box, said mechanism comprising a member provided with a ledge along its lower edge for supporting an end-wing-extension, and guiding mechanism extending laterally from said pressure-applying mechanism and including a table substantially in alinement with the supporting surface of said ledge and along which a blank with a partially folded end-Wing-extension is advanced to the pressure mechanism.

39. In a box-making machine, pressure-applying mechanism for the end of the box, said mechanism comprising a movable member provided with a ledge along its lower edge, and guiding mechanism extending laterally from said pressure-applying mechanism and including a table substantially in alinement with the supporting surface of said ledge, said pressure-applying mechanism also including a member adapted to be positioned opposite said rst-mentioned member and having a recess to receive said ledge.

40. In a box-making machine, means for applying pressure to an end of a box and comprising a horizontal slide and a vertical slide, and a cover above said horizontal slide having an endportion overhanging the corner of the box to locate it in pressure-receiving position, said cover being displaceable in case the vertical slide pushes up the box.

4l. In a box-making machine. means for applying pressure to an end of a box and comprising a horizontal slide and a vertical slide, a cover above said horizontal slide having an endportion overhanging the corner of the box to locate it in pressure-receiving position, said cover being displaceable in case the vertical slide pushes up the box, and a box-engaging stop carried on said cover and determining the operating position of the box with respect to the pressureapplying mechanism.

42. In a box-making machine, power-operated means for applying pressure to -an end of a box and comprising a horizontal slide and a vertical slide, a cover above said horizontal slide having an end-portion overhanging the corner of the box to locate it in pressure-receiving position, said cover being displaceable in case the vertical slide pushes up the box. and a trigger pivotally mounted on said cover controlling said power-operating means.

43. In a box-making machine for box-blanks having end-wings, a guide across the edge of which an end-wing may be positioned, endforming mechanism comprising a member having a pressure-applying face, said guide leading up to the pressure-applying mechanism, and a scroll associated with the guide for turning the end-wing into the plane of said face.

44. In a box-making machine for box-blanks having end-Wings and end-Wing-extensions, a

pressure-applying mechanism for an end of a box and into alinement with which a box blank may be brought by lateral movement, said pressure-applying mechanism comprising a member for engagement with the outside of the end of the box, said member having a ledge along its lower edge which is cut away at the corner, guide means extending laterally of said mechanism, and means associated with said guide means for bending the end-wing-extension out of the plane of the end-Wing and then bending the end-wing with its extension into the plane of the endengaging member as the box-blank is moved laterally into alinement with the latter with the extension overlying the ledge.

45. In a box-making machine, an elongated rest in unobstructed relation to the front of the machine, a wall extending up from said rest to form with it a corner into which a portion of a box-blank may be pressed and guided as the operator advances it bodily along the rest and Wall with a portion projecting over said wall, and box-making mechanisms situated along the wall and arranged to operate successively on the blank as the latter is moved along the rest and wall by the operator, said rest being adjustable heightwise to vary its relation to the upper edge of the Wall.

46. A method of treating a box-blank having side-walls and end-projections to form the end of a box, comprising manullybendingthe sidewalls into substantial para elism, and advancing the blank, while the side-walls are held by the operator in this position, to successive positions at which it receives the action of gluing mechanism, folding mechanism and pressure mechanism.

47. A method of forming the end of a box from a blank having a body-portion with side-walls and other projecting portions which consists in rst bending the side-Walls with respect to the body-portion a/s\ the blau/klim, by the operator, and thenwhl'carrying the blank forwr'anually, using a portion of the side-walls for guidinghe blank laterally through folding and pressure-applying mechanisms acting on said other projecting portions to form the end of the box.

48. A method of forming the end of a box from a blank having a body-portion with side-walls and other projecting portions which consists in rst bending the side-walls with respect to the body-portion as the blank is grasped by the operator, and then, while carrying the blank for- Ward manually, using a portion of the side-walls for guiding the blank laterally through gluing, folding and pressure-applying mechanisms acting on said other projecting portions to form the end of the box.

49. A method of forming the end of a box from a blank having a body-portion, side-Wings having corner-laps, and end-Wings which consists in first bending the side-Wings with respect to the body-portion, then turning in the cornerlaps, and then using a corner, where a cornerlap joins a side-wing, fonguiding the blank laterally through mechanisms for completing Vthe end-formation.

50. A method of making boxes which consists in the partial folding of a blank to box-form by the hands of an operator, progressively subjecting the partially folded blank to the action of box-making means to complete the folding as the operator advances said blank, one of such box-making means being power-actuated, and controlling the application of power to the lastmentioned means by force applied by the operator to the work.

CUTLER D. KNOWLTON.

im E.)

DISCLAIMER 2,186,977.Cutler D. Knowlton, Beverly, Mass. B0X MAKING. Patent dated January 16, 1940. Disclaimer led May 18, 1942, by the assignee, Hoague- Sprague Corporation.

Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 7 of said Letters Patent.

[Official Gazette June 16, 1942.] 

